Iraq's Maliki urges Kurds to hand over fugitive vice president [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Female #1
Maliki called on the regional government of Kurdistan to hand over the Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi. The Iraqi prime minister strongly warned against what he referred to as "politicizing the case."

Guest, Male #1 (Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi PM)
We ask our brothers in the regional government to take responsibility and hand over the accused to the judiciary, especially since they are familiar with this case. Refusing to hand him over or allowing him to escape may cause trouble. We do not want the regional government to appear to have facilitated or helped someone wanted by the judiciary. I'm not saying otherwise, I'm only saying he's wanted. As for politicizing the case, as I said to you, it is rejected.

Presenter, Female #1
For his part, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq called on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to resign from his position to avoid sectarian strife in Iraq.

Guest, Male #2 (Iraqi Deputy PM Saleh al-Mutlaq)
If things continue on this path, then we will exit the political process completely and take no responsibility for anything that happens in the country, God forbid. Today, there are attempts to drag the country back into the dark days; we will not allow that to happen. We will not allow sectarianism to return again; I am ready to resign from my post if Mr. Maliki resigns. And perhaps, all Iraqi cabinet members are ready to submit their resignations if Maliki submits his resignations. This case is politicized and has nothing to do with the independent judiciary system.

Presenter, Female #1
In another development in Iraq, as the year approaches its end, the Americans' withdrawal from Iraq leaves the problem of Kirkuk in a deadlock without a solution. A number of solutions have been proposed, the latest of which is Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, which was considered by the Kurdistan region to be a roadmap for annexing Kirkuk. However, the solutions were not implemented due to disagreements over them. The US military presence in the city prevented the problem from deteriorating as opinions varied on its solution.

Reporter, Male #3
Kirkuk produces one-third of Iraq's oil and its oil reserves are estimated at ten billion barrels. The social demographic of Kirkuk is a mixture of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Sunnis, Shiites, Muslims and others. Perhaps this it what makes the city a victim of conflict among various Iraqi groups vying for control. As the region of Kurdistan demands the annexation of the city according to the so-called roadmap of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, Baghdad insists that the city does not belong to the autonomous Kurdistan autonomous. The US's withdrawal from Iraq leaves the situation in Kirkuk without a solution. This creates a challenge for Iraqis, as well as for the city and its residents. The Arabs consider the Kurdish proposal to be the source of the problem instead of the solution.

Guest, Male #4
Now, if Article 140, with all its details, is implemented in Kirkuk, it will create a tremendous problem in Kirkuk. It will make the situation in Kirkuk explode.

Reporter, Male #3
As for the Turkmen, who consider themselves the former and current victims of the disputes, they demand that the Kirkuk governorate be a region independent of Baghdad or Arbil.

Guest, Male #5
We say the best and most ideal solution for Kirkuk is to make Kirkuk a special region where all residents of the Kirkuk city live with each other and share authority equally.

Reporter, Male #3
So this oil city may fuel the disputes among its social sectors, especially after the US withdraws. Some political observers believe that the US's military presence in Iraq prevented the conflicted situation among the major social components of Kirkuk from exploding. They believe that the lasting problem of Kirkuk is deadlocked between Baghdad and Arbil without a solution. It is the most important challenge for the future relationship of the two sides. This relationship will not be stable under such circumstances. Ahmed Zaweet, al-Jazeera, Kirkuk.

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Protestors walk 250 km from Taiz to Sanaa in Yemen's 'March of Life' [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Female #1
The residents of Ibb Province in central Yemen have welcomed a march on foot launched by the revolutionaries in Taiz to the capital Sanaa to demand the downfall of the regime and the collapse of the Riyadh Agreement. In Sanaa's Change Square, thousands of protestors prevented the minister of industry and commerce at the Basindwa-led government from delivering a speech at the square.

Reporter, Male #1
Sanaa is the destination despite the long journey. This is a popular Yemeni saying. Today, this saying was put into practice by the residents of Taiz Province south of Sanaa. A march on foot dubbed "March of Life" was launched from Taiz Province to Sanaa to demand the trial of President Ali Abdullah Saleh and to reject granting him immunity, as mandated by the Riyadh Agreement. Organizers said that the march aims to symbolize their revolutionary peaceful actions demanding the downfall of the Yemeni regime and the prosecution of its pillars.

Guest, Male #2
It was named "March of Life" because it aims to revive the Yemeni youth and bring life back to Yemen. The main objective of the march is to deliver a message to the people who offered immunity to Ali Saleh, the killer.

Reporter, Male #1
The protestors, who insisted on reaching Sanaa by foot, said the march is a symbolic action taken by the revolutionaries of all Yemeni cities and villages. Once again, this is proof that Yemenis will continue to reject any political plan or initiative that fails to meet the revolution's demands for change and freedom.

Guest, Female #2
The primary goal of our march is to reject the Gulf initiative and its implications, including granting immunity to Abdullah Saleh or the coalition government.

Reporter, Male #1
Passing through large Yemeni cities, such as Ibb and Dhamar, along the march's path to Sanaa, massive unprecedented popular receptions are being held for the revolutionaries. Here in Ibb, they received a hero's welcome from thousands of residents. Meanwhile, massive marches and protests broke out in Sanaa. In a notable development, the revolutionary youths in Sanaa's Change Square prevented the minister of industry and commerce from delivering a speech urging them to accept the Riyadh Agreement. The revolutionaries in Sanaa slammed the Riyadh Agreement as quote "a Saudi-American conspiracy aimed at aborting and eradicating the revolution." They also slammed the Basindwa-led government, saying its legitimacy is no different than that of Saleh's regime, which ascended to power in a similar fashion and which ignored the people's objectives.

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UN members condemn Israel over settlement expansion [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Female #1
The Israeli settlement issue was the focus of discussions at the UN, despite the many urgent issues dominating the Middle East. The UN Security Council's meeting about the situation in the region ended in the condemnation of Israel over its decision to open bids for the construction of new housing units in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem's settlements. However, the strongly worded condemnation by France, Britain, Germany, and Portugal will not prevent Israel from continuing its expansion policy. Our correspondent Sheruk Asa'd reports from occupied Jerusalem.

Reporter, Female #2
The condemnation of the Israeli settlement policy by the four European countries is a step forward that represents an important achievement for the Palestinian leadership.

Guest, Male #1 (Dr. Sabri Saidam, Deputy Secretary General of Fatah's Revolutionary Council)
This is an important position. As you know, it was a wide-scale condemnation. No matter where Israel turns, it will find itself diplomatically surrounded. It has no choice but to accept the international authority's resolutions.

Reporter, Female #2
However, this international condemnation is not enough according to the Palestinians, who believe that such action may confuse Israel but will not carry measures that mount pressure on it.

Guest, Male #2 (Sha'wan Jabarin, Director of Haq Center)
This decision expresses the world's opinion toward Israel's practices. However, it lacks the political force or practical measures such as the adoption of specific measures like the ones taken against South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s, which included the imposition of sanctions and an embargo.

Reporter, Female #2
The international condemnation was voiced against the construction of new housing units in settlements built on West Bank land, such as the Jabal Abu Ghaniam in Bethlehem and the Mizgav Zaiv in the village of Hizma. The land was confiscated by Israel in 1967 and later annexed to the so called "great Jerusalem." After confiscating the land, Israel expelled the Palestinians from Jerusalem and cut off the city from the rest of the West Bank territory.

Guest, Male #2 (Sha'wan Jabarin, Director of Haq Center)
Israel's plan is long term. The objective is to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank territory, with Jerusalem as its capital. Through its settlement policy, Israel is imposing an existing state of affairs, and this is a crime and an obstacle to peace.

Reporter, Female #2
The construction of settlements is a major setback. Israel is racing against time and seeking to maintain the status quo. In response, Palestinians are waging a diplomatic battle, hoping the international words will be translated into actions on the ground. Sheruk Asa'd, Dubai TV, occupied Jerusalem.

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Top US general says army is ready to strike Iran if given the order [IBA, Israel]

For a second day running, the US is talking tough about the need to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Yesterday, it was Defense Secretary Leon Panetta with a strong hint of a military strike. Today, the head of the US Armed Forces, General Martin Dempsey told CNN's Brenda Star that if Washington gives the order, the US army has the firepower to take out Iran's nuclear capability.

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Syrian National Council calls for UN meeting on Assad 'massacre' [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Male #1
The Local Coordination Committees of Syria said 22 people were killed by the gunfire of security forces today in a number of areas, especially Homs. Parallel to that, the opposition Syrian National Council called on the UN Security Council to hold an emergency session to end what it referred to as the massacres committed by the Syrian authorities. The Syrian opposition asserted that yesterday's death toll reached 111.

Reporter, Male #2
Violence continues in Syria hours before the arrival of the Arab observers. Opposition sources said that nearly 70 Syrian soldiers were killed in the past two days in what appeared to be a failed attempt to defect from the army in al-Brefi village of Idlib Province. In the same village, the local coordination committees said 25 people were killed on Tuesday by the Syrian army's artillery fire. The killing was repeated. Also in Idlib, 34 people were killed; in Homs, 14 were killed; four were killed in Zabadani near the capital Damascus; three in Hama, and one in both Daraa and Aleppo. It is difficult to verify all these figures as the government forbids the media from entering the country. However, the opposition groups agree that the violence is escalating and is concentrated in the mountainous areas of Idlib Province, where the alleged massacre took place on Monday.

Guest, Male #3 (Rami Abdul Rahman, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Paris)
There was information warning that a massacre was about to happen. But no one did anything; the massacre took place. Approximately 111 citizens were martyred in that area besieged by the Syrian military forces. The Syrian army carried out a complete genocide. We managed to collect the names of 56 of the victims in the town of Kafar Awed and its surrounding areas and neighboring villages.

Guest, Male #4 (Basam Abu Abdullah, Syrian Analyst in Damascus)
These people are gunmen. Forty-two Turkish officers were arrested in Syria, what were they doing here? There are new kinds of weapons that were smuggled into Syria, and the Syrian army only dealt with the gunmen who threatened the people's lives, cut off roads, damaged the railroads, targeted the gas pipelines and kidnapped foreign engineers.

Reporter, Male #2
The killing continues, as do the protests and funerals. A new video shows a number of members in what is known as the Syrian Free Army comprised of defected Syrian soldiers. Their weapons appeared to be light, but their demands are high.

Guest, Male #5
God willing, we demand a buffer zone. If a buffer zone is created, it will provide us with air coverage. With complete air coverage, we will be able to liberate the area.

Reporter, Male #2
Those with the same opinion don't have high hopes for the arrival of the Arab observers. They are suspicious of the regime's intentions, as it gathered thousands of supporters in a pro-government demonstration in central Damascus. The skeptical say the observers will not get to see the large numbers of detainees who are transferred by the regime to military camps, which the observers will not be allowed to enter.

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Hundreds of workers lose jobs for backing Bahraini protests [Press TV, Iran]

Moving on to Bahrain, hundreds of workers have gathered outside the Ministry of Labor to demand the reinstatement of all those who were sacked by the regime. This is the fifth rally by the Bahraini workers who have lost their jobs for rising up against the al-Khalifa regime. Many other professionals, including physicians, have also been sacked from work for treating protestors injured by the Saudi-backed Bahraini forces. The Manama regime has not eased its crackdown on anti-regime demonstrators.

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Tensions rise as Egypt begins run-off vote for second phase of elections [Press TV, Iran]

Egyptians are voting again in the runoff of the second round of their parliamentary elections. Polls, however, have been marred by deadly clashes between protestors and security forces that have left over a dozen people dead since Friday. State television reported there were few voters in the first hour of the polling.

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Cautious calm dominates Ain al-Hilweh camp amid sporadic gunfire [New TV, Lebanon]

Presenter, Female #1
There is a cautious calm at Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp, amid sporadic gunfire. The commander of the Armed Struggle, known as al-Lino, stressed to New TV the importance of confronting the remnants of Jund al-Sham and Fatah al-Islam in the neighborhood of Ta'meer.

Reporter, Male #1
With the help of these crutches, which have become his only support in facing the world, Abu Mohamed walks the alleys of Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp. His disability was caused by one of the absurd gunfire incidents when he was at the vegetable market. Out of curiosity, he and other residents are inspecting the crime scene of the assassination. The empty bullet shells on the ground accomplished their mission and now have become toys that children play with. Meanwhile, the adults' pockets are filled and the chambers of their machineguns are loaded with bullets ready to be fired anytime in any direction in a different kind of game.

Guest, Male #2
The fight broke out between the Islamic and national forces. They started firing at the shops and homes, just like the Tatars and Mongols, when the Kurds opened fire at the people. They are gangs and not armed groups. If they were fighters, they would have respected themselves and known where to shoot.

Reporter, Male #1
In Ain al-Hilweh, where all rival groups are gathering in a small area, weapons are the common interest that keeps everyone together. The love for weapons and the love to flaunt them are the two common denominators that all the fighters share; the hatred for weapons and those carrying them are the two common denominators the rest of residents share.

Guest, Female #2
The purpose is to disturb the camps' security so we suffer the same fate as Nahr al-Bared. However, this will not happen. We, the people, must not remain silent!

Reporter, Male #1
Here in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, where machineguns appear every so often, weapons are no longer just an accessory for men. At least that is what the women say, or are trying to say. Moments before the women began their sit-in against weapons, the roar of bullets pierced through the ranks of women gathering in the market, proving once again the fragile security situation of the camp. Amid these events, a cautious calm gradually returns to the area and has now dominated the situation. Behind the scene, more specifically in the headquarters of the commander of the Armed Struggle, Brigadier-General al-Lino appears to be certain that this is the calm before the storm.

Guest, Male #3 (Mahmoud Issa, or al-Lino, Brigadier-General)
We demand a clear and frank decision on arms, as we live in an existing state of law. No one is above the law. They will be turned in and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Reporter, Male #2
Al-Lino said what he had to say then left, perhaps to prepare for another battle that has become imminent. Everything in Ain al-Hilweh indicates that the time for talks is nearing its end and the time for action may begin soon. From Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp, Firas Hatoum, New TV.